Key Concepts of Cleaning and Sanitizing

Proper cleaning and sanitizing is essential to

producing high quality, safe dairy products. A
well-informed and trained staff provides the
foundation for safe food processing.

An area must be cleaned before it can be sanitized. You can't

sanitize dirt!

What to Clean
The first thing that comes to mind in cleaning is food contact
surfaces. But cleaning the outside of equipment, the
environment, and personnel hygiene are also necessary to
maintain a sanitary environment for food processing.
Personnel hygiene (hand washing, uniforms) should be
addressed with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for
your facility, and will not be covered in this article.

Examples
These are examples of places to clean in a dairy and food
processing plant:

Food contact surfaces equipment surfaces tables and

preparation areas conveyors utensils bins and totes
packaging materials

The key concepts of sanitation controls are knowing what to

clean, what soils are present, best practices for cleaning steps
and washing factors, and understanding how to handle
cleaning chemicals safely.

Cleaning versus Sanitizing

The first step in Sanitation Control is to understand the
difference between cleaning and sanitizing.

Cleaning removes soils from surfaces

Sanitizing reduces the microorganisms on surfaces

equipment surfaces
tables and preparation areas
conveyors
utensils
bins and totes
packaging materials
Outside of equipment
Environment floors drains walls light fixtures
floors
drains
walls
light fixtures

The type of food contact surface is an important consideration

when determining what types of cleaners and practices to use.
The best materials for food processing are durable,
non-porous, food grade, and easily cleanable. Materials that
pit, rust or have rough surfaces have microscopic-size valleys
that are highly desirable spaces for unwanted bacteria to grow
and form hard-to-clean biofilms.
Typical materials found in food processing plants include
stainless steel, plastic, and tile. Some dairy plants package

milk in glass bottles. Some cheese makers use wood boards

for aging and cleaning procedures should be in place to ensure
the boards are sanitary.
Equipment design and plant layout should be considered from
a cleanability perspective. You need to be able to reach around
and under equipment to clean it properly.

Types of Soils in Dairy Plants

Milk contains 5 types of soils.

Carbohydrates
Milk carbohydrates are primarily lactose with minor amounts
of other sugars. Sugars typically dissolve in water and can be
removed with warm water.

Proteins
Milk proteins consist of the caseins and serum (whey)
proteins. They may or may not be soluble in water. Typically
proteins are removed from surfaces using chlorinated alkaline
cleaners (high pH); sometimes enzymes and oxidizers are
added to help remove proteins. When protein residues build up
they leave a bluish or rainbow haze on equipment surfaces.

Fat
Milk fat consists of many fatty acids arranged in triglyceride
structures that give it a broad melting range. Milk fat is not
fully melted until 104F (40C). Alkaline cleaners (high pH)
are needed to saponify the fat and remove it from surfaces. It
is critical that the wash water be at least 120F at the end of
the wash cycle to ensure that the milk fat is removed
completely from all the surface and pipelines in the processing
system. If the water is too cold, then the fat will smear rather
than being removed. This can result in a layer of sticky fat
inside the system that serves as an anchor point for bacteria to
form biofilms.

Minerals
Milk minerals consist of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium,
with trace amounts of other minerals. Minerals are removed
using acid cleaners (low pH). Milk stone is a whitish or
yellowish build up of mineral residue on surfaces. Water
conditioning may be used to help prevent regular deposition of
water and milk minerals on processing and environmental
surfaces.

Microorganisms
Microorganisms in a dairy plant can originate in milk, water,
air, be tracked in on boxes, pallets, shoes, personnel, and other
vectors. Microorganisms can be washed away from surfaces
during routine cleaning, but since they are always present in
the environment, food contact surfaces should be sanitized
prior to use. The main reason to sanitize equipment is reduce
the microbial load on surfaces prior to use.

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Biofilms form when bacteria get lodged in crevices and can

not be washed away. The bacteria attach to the surfaces,
multiply and form large masses that become encased in soils
which protect them from cleaning and sanitizing chemicals.
These communities contaminate product that moves across the
equipment surfaces, and pieces can break off during
processing, causing sporadic high micro counts in products.

How to Clean
The specific steps used to clean and sanitize equipment and
environmental areas are unique to each processor. Sanitation
Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) are written,
step-by-step instructions on cleaning equipment, processing
lines, environmental areas, and master sanitation schedules.
See the article on Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
for guidelines and tips for writing SSOPs.
Equipment and environmental areas may cleaned using
clean-in-place (CIP) systems, clean-out-of-place wash tanks
(COP), and manual techniques. When using COP tanks, make
sure all parts are completely submerged to ensure adequate
cleaning. Hoses and pipes that stick out of the tank will not get
washed thoroughly. Follow manufacturers instructions and
chemical suppliers suggestions when using CIP and COP
systems. A good reference for dairy equipment cleaning
procedures is Guideline 29 Cleaning and Sanitizing in Fluid
Milk Processing Plants, published by The Dairy Practices
Council.
Many dairy plants use a color-coded brush system to prevent
contamination from raw to pasteurized products, and from
non-food contact and environmental surfaces to food contact
surfaces. It is highly recommended that a separate (black)
brush be used ONLY for cleaning drains. Long plastic handles
with "drains only" printed on them can be purchased from
brush suppliers.
When using buckets for sanitizing, make sure the buckets are
thoroughly clean before mixing the sanitizer. If the sanitizer
appears cloudy, it is no longer effective and should be
replaced.

Cleaning Chemical Selection

The selection of cleaning and sanitizing chemicals for use in
your facility will depend on:

soil type
surface type
application method (clean-in-place, clean-out-of-place,
manual

environment
water quality
Often different areas or environments in the plant will require
different types of cleaners. For example, a clean-in-place
system will use cleaners that don't foam as much as manual
cleaners. The sanitizer used in footbaths may be different than
the one used of food contact surfaces.
Key Concepts of Cleaning and Sanitizing

There are many types of cleaning and sanitizing chemicals

available. Be sure to follow the directions for that particular
cleaner or sanitizer - they all have their own optimal
concentrations. Be aware of the use requirements and
limitations of your sanitizer - many sanitizers are "no-rinse"
and should not be rinsed between application and food
processing. Sanitizers usually have a period of effectiveness
that only lasts for several hours, so if you sanitize your
equipment after cleaning the night before, you may need to
sanitize again just prior to processing.
The best approach is to assess your facility, have your water
tested, and work directly with then a chemical supplier to set
up a cleaning and sanitizing system that fits the needs of your
facility and company philosophy.

Cleaning Steps and Washing Factors

The key concepts of cleaning and sanitizing are summarized in
4 steps:
Pre-rinse

removes loose soil from surfaces prior to cleaning

use warm water (100-120F)
Wash

removes carbohydrate, fat, protein and mineral soils

follow SSOPs for cleaning procedures and chemical
selection
Washing Factors (TACT)

Time

rinse water may be acidified (Acid Rinse)

removes minerals and prevents mineral deposits
Sanitize

reduces the number of microorganisms on surfaces

sanitizes surfaces before use
only clean surfaces can be sanitized!

Chemical Safety
Chemicals are used in dairy processing plants and QA
laboratories. OSHA regulations state that it is the employer's
responsibility to provide adequate training and access to
information to ensure that employees work in a safe
environment and minimize accidents.
Use demonstrations freely when conducting chemical safety
training to educate employees how to properly mix chemical
solutions, label chemical containers, wear the correct personal
protective equipment (PPE) for the task at hand, and clean up
spills. Make sure to document the training session (date of the
session, topics covered, employees present) and place it in the
training section of your Food Safety Plan.
People that work with cleaning and laboratory chemicals
should know:

Correct chemical use

the right chemical and concentration needed for the job
the correct mixing and use procedures
how to label and store chemicals properly

too little: not enough surface interaction

too much: temperature cools, detergent deposits
just right: surface wets, soils are removed and washed
away

Action (Mechanical Force)

just right: does the job

loosens soils and disrupts biofilms

need to have contact with all surfaces
use turbulent flow, slugging
Chemical Concentration
too little: not enough cleaning power
too much: may reduce efficiency, may leave residues,
wastes money
Temperature
use the correct temperature according to the SSOPs
water should be 120F at the end of the wash cycle
too hot: proteins denature and deposit, dangerous for
personnel

Post-rinse

removes detergent and chlorine

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Chemical properties
the physical state (solid, liquid, gas), concentration, and
pH of the chemicals

physical hazards (flammable, explosive, reactive)

heath hazards (burns, poisons, carcinogens)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
gloves, lab coats, coveralls and footwear
eye, face, and head protection required
use the correct materials for the task
Examples

use chemical rated gloves, not latex gloves for handling

cleaning chemicals

wear a full face mask when handling caustic and acidic

cleaning chemicals

Accident and Spill Response

the use and location of emergency equipment
emergency first aid procedures
have emergency contact numbers easily accessible
Key Concepts of Cleaning and Sanitizing

 have spill kits accessible and use procedures in place

The Details
The Details summarize the best practices for effective
cleaning and sanitizing in dairy and food plants.

Contact Information
Kerry E. Kaylegian
Dairy Foods Research and Extension Associate
kek14@psu.edu
814-867-1379

Follow SSOPs
develop Standard Sanitation Operating Procedures
(SSOPs) specifically for equipment and environmental
areas to meet the needs of your facility

include step-by-step directions on how to clean, and how

often to clean

specify the correct chemicals, times, temperatures and

processes to use

Use the Right Supplies

correct chemicals and concentrations
appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs

are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement
by Penn State Extension is implied.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
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The Pennsylvania State University 2016

chemical handling

color-coded brushes and buckets, the correct wash tanks,

etc.

Fill Out Records

sanitation records and logs
Food Safety Plan monitoring and verification records
if it wasn't documented, it wasn't done!
Take Pride
smile and take pride in producing clean, safe food!

Printing the Article

This article is formatted for printing as a summary poster and
as flashcards with the key concepts on the front and full details
on the back.
The poster and flashcards are visual reminders of key concepts
in cleaning and sanitizing dairy and food processing plants.
They can be displayed on doors, lockers, processing areas,
CIP rooms, chemical storage areas, lunch rooms, and
employee notice boards. The flashcards can be posted with the
key concept side visual as a quick reminder or posted with the
details visible for more information. The flashcards can be
used a quiz aids for on-site training.
The poster and flashcards are available as a free download or
can be purchased on water resistant paper suitable for display
in a dairy plant environment.

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Key Concepts of Cleaning and Sanitizing